War movie coming to area

Photo: Contributed

The Okanagan will star as a woodland battlefield for a Hollywood movie.

Los Angeles-based producer and former Enderby resident Rick Dugdale was scouting Kelowna, Vernon, Lumby and Enderby earlier this week for the Second World War epic Peace, which is based on the book by best-selling author Richard Bausch.

Dugdale also scouted out Serbia and Montenegro, but because snow is critical to the movie, it was decided the Okanagan was the best place to shoot the film.

“The area is perfect for it,” said Dugdale while catching a flight back to Los Angeles Saturday. “It looks just like parts of Italy.”

Filming is scheduled to begin in October and be wrapped up by the end of the year.

This is the first time Dugdale has tackled a war movie.

“My grandparents were in the war so it is nice to touch that piece of history,” he said.

The movie will be direct by Robert Port who shared an Oscar for his role in the documentary Twin Towers.

“Casting will be the next step,” said Dugdale, who filmed the movie Blackway in the Enderby area that starred Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta and Anthony Hopkins.

Dugdale said 40 per cent of the crew for Blackway were hired locally and he hopes to hire all locals for Peace.

However, that may be easier said than done.

“The only thing missing from the Valley is a crew base,” he said, adding often people need to be brought in from the Lower Mainland which adds to the expense of making a film.

To grow as an industry, Dugdale said the Okanagan needs more infrastructure and crew members.

Direct flights from Kelowna to Los Angeles also play a vital role.

“It's critical for the industry to grow in the Valley,” he said, adding a direct flight would cut down on travel time, cost less money and make it easier to bring stars to the region.